What A Daul.

In the world of modeling, there are only a few live mannequins I find fascinating, like Sasha Pivovorova and Daria Werbowy.

Another one of them is Korean model, Daul Kim.

Not only does she rock a mean runway (all the cool glossies love her, as does Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen), she also has one of the most interesting blogs out there called -- get this -- I Like To Fork Myself.

She posts snapshots of her life, as well as very esoteric, somewhat dark little poetry ditties, random thoughts and streams of consciousness.

Kind of like this post entitled "As Is.":


i stand across the light

holding plastic bags

i respond to the man i dont know who smiles at me

i dont exist

only something almost near perfection

i dont even move my head and

i dont even jay walk in front of the police car.

as it is.

like this.


The long and short of it is I think she's a such an interesting, layered person.

Oh, and these shots she did for RUSSH Magazine are the bee's knees.











* Photos property of RUSSH Magazine and are used solely for commentary purposes

Happy (Halloween) Friday!

Today is start of All Hallow's Eve weekend, and this year is going to be a doozy.

Tonight: House party at Shackenzie's, followed a massive crew of us going to Sander Kleinenberg Celebrities.

Costume: With my girl Aims, we're rocking fashion victim outfits. Think shiny tights, American Apparel headbands, non-prescription glasses all the hipsters are wearing, high heels, fur, trendy bag (mine will be suede brown fringe), leopard print, big belts, tons of statements necklaces, tons of cocktail rings, cigarettes, Jenny Humphrey makeup and a Vogue in hand.

Tomorrow night: My girl Natalia reps Cointreau and is throwing a party at Sanafir, plus the (212) boys are throwing a shaker at their studio.

Costume: My girls Ovitch, Albs, E. and I are going as Ed Hardy, Yaletown girls. So tight leggings, Uggs, Ed Hardy Hats, caked on makeup, press-on nails, Ed Hardy shirts, little toy dogs in logo purses and Starbucks cups in hand.

Pictures to come next week...happy, happy, happy Halloween!

xo
Haute Hippie

Couleurs.

I need some color in my life right now on this Thursday full of rain, rain and more rain (and bad beginnings...boooo).

Here are images that are currently brightening up my day.


Taken during a random stop at Urban Outfitters while walking home this week. Bright blue saddle shoes, nice. I like them shelved on top of the classic ones.




Rainbow bright painting.




Lindsay Lohan's not doing much as creative advisor to Ungaro, and she's really quite the trainwreck, but Ellen von Unwerth did take a gorgeous shot of La Lohan, nonetheless.




A Chloe Early painting.





I'm Lovin' it: The delicious hot chocolate from Bean Brothers Cafe Bistro from last night! It had the richest whip cream to ever touch my tongue.


I'm Over it: When you mess up big time on something, and know the only thing you can do is wait, see and hopefully get the chance to fix it. Big sad face.


Track of the Day: Since today hasn't started off the best for me, I need an old school, feel-good jam to get me through until the events blitz begins this evening. How about "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers? Yes, that's the one to listen to right now.






* Photos property of Haute Hippie, Wooster Collective, London Times, Ellen von Unwerth and are used solely for commentary purposes

Little Bit.

The other day I was conducting an interview at a local retailer, and this song came on overhead.

Here's the CSS remix of "Little Bit" by Lykke Li.

It's a good way to get amped for a Thursday work day -- and, of course, amped for the mega Halloween dance fest I'll be at tomorrow night!

Chance Meetings.

I get to chat with Alexis Bittar on November 7!!!!!

So excited.

Hope he gives me this Gold Gray Cats Eye Oval Klimt ring.






* Photo property of Alexis Bittar and is used solely for commentary purposes

Tiny Dancer.

Almost Famous was on telly the other night.

I was reminded that Kate Hudson is actually quite an alright actress with the right role.

Here's my favorite scene, showing reignited unity within a disintegrating, broken band -- and paying tribute to a truly great Elton John song.

Prance and Preen.

I'm an '80s kid, a fact that reveals why I have such an immense liking for big shoulders and any sort of jacket with that comes with them (Balmain also probably had to do with this).

Janel Molton's amazing vintage and used clothing site RelicNY -- her amazing sartorial sources will never be revealed -- is home to a Preen wool jacket with structured sleeves and front neck tie that is just begging for me to click and buy it.

I'm imagining this with so many things, but I mulling over the idea of a body-con dress and booties for a night out. Or skinny jeans, slim neutral-colored tank and high, high heels.

I like to see and be Preen.








I'm Lovin' it: Congrats to my girl Aggs, who just got engaged!! Much love, dearest Squirrel. Also, going to see the Michael Jackson documentary This Is It with the fella tonight. According to those who have seen it, the film is amazing.





I'm Over it: When I'm working in my home office, this weird lady in the building across the street pops out several times a day to hang over the edge of her balcony and stare blankly at things. Today, she came out with a huge, white cockatoo on her arm. So odd.


Track of the Day: "It Makes No Difference" by The Band. Followed by a pretty great "It Makes No Difference" cover by My Morning Jacket. Great soulful, rock jam for a grey Wednesday.







* Photos property of relicNY.com, thejakartaglobe.com and are used solely for commentary purposes

Music of the Day.

The xx from South West London is a band you must listen to and their album "xx" is one you must download today.

Do it.

I promise your iTunes library will be handsomely rewarded. Any musical inclination in your body will thank you, too.

Big fan of "Heart Skipped a Beat" and "Night Time", the latter of which reminds me slightly of a Gui Boratto track.

How exciting am I that they're coming into town with Friendly Fires on November 26?

VERY.







* Photo property of kspace.tv and is used solely for commentary purposes

Lady Gaga x Dazed Digital.

When Lady Gaga first came out, I didn't pay much attention to her.

After awhile, it turned into a matter of how could you NOT pay any attention to the pop phenom, with her outlandish yet curiously captivating outfits, intense performances, dark music videos and bonafide talent (she was a songwriter at Interscope records at one point for several high-profile acts)?

Dazed Digital linked up with Gaga and Belfast-born, Brit-based filmmaker and art director Kathryn Ferguson for a stunning short film set to a piano composition created by the Gaga herself, who wears fashion-forward designers Pam Hogg, David Koma and more throughout the two-minute clip.

Click here to behold.

And yes, I sing hard to "Paparazzi" when it comes on now. Amazing video.







* Photo property of freshnessmag.com, Dazed Digital and is used solely for commentary purposes

This Would Make My Friday Happy!

A London gallery claims they will be unveiling a Banksy self-portrait, finally revealing the guerilla street artist who always seems to allude cameras, photos and capture.

Vrai or faux?

Happy Friday!

xo
Haute Hippie


I'm Lovin' it: Nicole Richie is launching a womenswear line called Winter Kate (after her daughter's two middle names). And yes, I am very, very excited for its debut. Will Richie be bringing back the bed jacket? Seems so, as the silhouette makes up a considerable amount of the 27-piece collection of dresses, tunics and jackets. Huge fan. HUGE. Have you seen her House of Harlow jewellery?!




I'm Over it: When jeans that should cost a reasonable $150 are priced at an astronomical $300. Cough cough, Citizens of Humanity.


Track of the Day: "A Thing For Me" by Metronomy (Breakbot remix). A seriously cool, groovin' re-do of this quirky Metronomy track (the original video is rad, by the way!). I really like when the remix hits at 1:45.





* Photo property of nitrolicious.com and is used solely for commentary purposes

Thoroughly Amusing.

It was years before I saw myself wearing a t-shirt without it:

a) being a lazy day lounging around the house

or

b) being sports or work out-related

But recently I've been embracing the casual sexiness of a perfect tee paired with the perfect jeans.

And throwing on a blazer over it, piling on the mad accessories and slipping on high heels is a Kate Lanphear-esque move that's often imitated but never duplicated, but you really can't blame a girl for trying to be La Lanphear.

Last Saturday, I had the chance to chit-chat with Nicole Castrogiovanni, Director of Sales for Modern Amusement, and Adam Lupton, winner of the brand's recent t-shirt design contest.

Nicole took me through the influences of both Fall '09 (namely travels to Montauk, Copenhagen and Tokyo) and Spring 2010 (a throwback to M.A.'s beginnings with pattern, print and color), as well as through new pieces from the burgeoning women's collection (the silk dresses and androgynous cardigans are must-haves).

I then turned my questions to Adam, who looks every bit the Modern Amusement man. The 22-year-old communication design student blended his love for music (Bob Dylan, K-OS and Jack White are three big muses), hand-written font and Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now into the winning tee (a week-long trip to the Modern Amusement headquarters in SoCal was also part of the prize).

So Modern Amusement will hopefully continue to make the fantastic, need-to-have cardigans and tees it does so well, for all our sartorial sakes.

And as for Adam?

He hopes to be on the back of a restored vintage WWII bike, cruising North and South America, toward a design future that seems very, very bright.









I'm Lovin' it: My girlfriend Saritz is in town for a visit, whoop!


I'm Over it: My tendency to over-pronate when I walk has caused most of my beloved heels and boots to be worn down right to their metal and wood nubs. Dang it, the shoe cobbler's gonna make a lot of money when I visit next.


Track of the Day: "Untitled Love" by Still Going. Funky, electro, jazzy house track from this New York, New York group. They also do a rather good remix of the Doves' "Kingdom of Rust".





* Photos property of Holt Renfrew, Modern Amusement and are used solely for commentary purposes

H&M x Jimmy Choo.

And yet we have another collaboration between fashion behemoths: H&M and Jimmy Choo.

Tamara Mellon has done admirably well bringing the Jimmy Choo brand to where it is today, as in fairly synonymous (and doused) with celebrity, glitz and glamour. There isn't a red carpet that a Choo shoe hasn't liked.

Now Mellon has married her brand with H&M -- and oh, what a holy matrimony it is.

I know it's fall and all, which means a heck of a lot of rain, but those grey suede open-toe bootie sandals with straps that wrap across the front (or however you want to describe them!) have my name written all over them.

And I'm also a rather big fan of the dresses with the suede texture aesthetic. Yes, cobalt blue and grey!

Y'all better get on this Choo-Choo train with me.








I'm Lovin' it: Nautical stripes! On tight mini skirts!!




I'm Lovin' it, Part Deux: This fantastic New York Magazine article on Ayn Rand, creator of Howard Roark and John Galt. If you haven't read The Fountainhead, please do. It'll change your life.


I'm Over it: Lest I say it? Okay, I will. Is it just me, or is Gossip Girl not as good as the last two seasons?? Please let it come back to life soon.


Track of the Day: "Leg Warmers" by Tone Mason from the T-Dot, Canada. I heard this track off the Think Contra online magazine site, and think it's pretty grand. It kind of has the same feel-good beats as "I'm Ready" by Kano, which I blogged about a few posts ago. Enjoy.



* Photos property of H&M, nymag.com, Jimmy Choo, Racked, Shopbop and are used solely for commentary purposes

Watch This.

I was almost getting over big gold watches on girls' wrists.

Then I saw this white and gold (though not white gold) Jet Set sport watch from Michael Kors, which happens to be at the completely reasonable price tag of $250.

And just like that, I'm all over the big gold (and white) watches again.





* Photo property of Shop Bop and is used solely for commentary purposes

Right Down The Line.

This weekend, my fella played me one of his favorite songs, "Right Down the Line" by Gerry Rafferty.

It instantly brought back childhood memories of driving in the car with my mom, listening to the local soft rock radio station while going to school during the week or going with her to work on the weekends.

Makes you want to fall in...well, you know.

Or cruise in a car with your totally awesome mom.

They just don't make music like this anymore.





You know I need your love
You've got that hold over me
Long as I've got your love
You know that I'll never leave
When I wanted you to share my life
I had no doubt in my mind
And it's been you woman
Right down the line

I know how much I lean on you
Only you can see
The changes that I've been through
Have left a mark on me
You've been as constant as a Northern Star
The brightest light that shines
It's been you woman right down the line

I just wanna say this is my way
Of tellin' you everything
I could never say before
Yeah this is my way of tellin' you
That every day I'm lovin' you so much more
'Cause you believed in me through my darkest night
Put somethin' better inside of me
You brought me into the light
Threw away all those crazy dreams
I put them all behind
And it was you woman
Right down the line

I just wanna say this is my way of tellin' you everything
I could never say before
Yeah this is my way of tellin' you
Everything I could never say before
Yeah this is my way of tellin' you
That every day I'm lovin' you so much more

If I should doubt myself, if I'm losing ground
I won't turn to someone else
They'd only let me down
When I wanted you to share my life
I had no doubt in my mind
And it's been you woman
Right down the line

John Galliano Spring 2010.

If I was faced with a sartorial fork in the road, in which one road led to rock-chic and the other led to romance and ruffles, I would choose rock and roll. No doubt.

But John Galliano -- oh, John Galliano! -- does the romantic look so breathtakingly well, he alone can get me out of skinny jeans, skinny heels and black eyeliner (the latter only on nights out, though).

His collection for Spring 2010 was influenced by silent movie stars and their inevitable fadeaway, as sound and Technicolor on film began to take the forefront in Hollywood.

The models' lips, painted in a dark downturn, appeared to be a melancholic sign of that time -- and it proved to be an interesting contrast to Galliano's choice of blues, yellows, pinks and silvers (perhaps a color nod to the silver screen).

Its entire effect was sadly beautiful, the sadness coming from sympathy at the plight of a soon-to-be washed up, irrelevant movie star and the beauty coming from the silent grace from which she fell.

Rock-chic elicits so much simpler fashion emotions, no?












I'm Lovin' it: A sk8tergirl I am not, but I do have a quite a few pals in the scene, enough to make me understand that lifestyle's appeal. These skateboards with Ali Stephens, Coco Rocha and Hannah Holman somehow bridge my fashion obsession and my small tie to the board life.




I'm Over it: A broken garage door kind of peeved me when I was trying to get into my underground parkade this morning.


Track of the Day: The Jigga-man (aka. Jay-Z) is coming into town tonight for a show. I'm so very unfortunately not going, but his Blueprint 3 album is SICK. I'm digging "A Star Is Born". Jigga what, Jigga who?!





* Photos property of style.com, Modelina and are solely used for commentary purposes

More Things I Want.

This plant teranium. With golden legs, at that.




This vintage '70s mushroom necklace from Atlantis Vintage.





I'm Lovin' it: Currently watching The Royal Tenenbaums for the first time whilst working. God, I love Wes Anderson flicks. Just watched Rushmore the other night with the fella. Holy, Jason Schwartzman!


I'm Over it: The Darkness has arrived. Until spring comes again.


Track of the Day: Steph A. formally introduced me to Miike Snow last week. SO GOOD. Check out "Black and Blue" below, as well as the gorgeous video for "Burial".







* Photos property of FWD, Atlantis Vintage and are used solely for commentary purposes

Alexander McQueen Spring 2010.

There are no words, so I'll leave none.

But I WILL leave you a link to click on.

And if you don't, then you truly do NOT love fashion!!!

Why Do I Love Dresses?

Because they can look like this, thanks to people like Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney.









I'm Lovin' it: Check out the slouch on these Maison Martin Margiela boots.





I'm Over it: Why has no one turned in my purse yet?!


Music of the Day: Rodarte apparently played a lot of Something A La Mode at their Fashion Week after party with Colette in Paris. Very interesting stuff. Strings, electronica, DJs.







* Photos property of style.com and are used solely for commentary purposes

Thank You, B.C.!

Last Saturday, I left my S.O.'s (aka. significant other's) apartment to find my car towed for not moving it before 9am.

So I flagged down a cab to take me home, but in my frustration, left my favorite fringe bag behind sitting on the cab seat. Luckily, for some reason, I took out my wallet, keys and phone beforehand, whew.

Unfortunately, my bag (which I had carried every day since I bought it) and the rest of its contents are now hanging from the great purse rack in the sky, as no one has returned it to the lost and found.

This means all my favorite makeup -- as in my Benefit Cosmetics mascara in Plum, Benefit Cosmetics white eyeliner, Becca moss green eyeliner, Josie Maran lip gloss in Dare and some others -- are gone, baby, gone.

Then today, I got a package in the mail from the ladies over at Benefit Cosmetics Canada, stuffed with the Celebutante and the Glitz, Glam & Gloss kits.

Thank you thank you thank you, ladies!

You rule. Seriously.





* Photo property of Haute Hippie and is used solely for commentary purposes

So Cool.

I want to replicate one of these Judith Seng wood stools for my apartment.




I want to drink out of this Paul Smith glass water bottle for Evian.




In the famous words of Miranda Priestly...that is all.


* Photos property of FWD and are used solely for commentary purposes

Balmain Spring 2010.

Rewind back to a few seasons before, when the names Balmain and its designer, Christophe Decarnin, were only on the lips of those who knew what was what (and who was who) in the industry.

Now -- partially due to knockoffs -- members of the general public also have an inkling of Balmain and Decarnin, or at the very least have lusted after recent pieces from the label.

And yeah, Decarnin did the big-shouldered, band-slash-military jackets that every soft and hardcore fashion lover desperately tried to land in either the cheap & cheerful (Topshop) or much expensive (an actual Balmain) form.

Decarnin is proving he's no one-trick pony.

Feast your eyes on his current ready-to-wear collection, an amalgamation of disco, cave woman and everything else that'll be deemed cool for Spring 2010.

It's a Happy Monday, indeed.














I'm Lovin' it: The lovely Sara Pereira sent me some personalized Haute Note stationary with my name on it. What a sweetheart!





I'm Over it: The a**hole hacker that hacked into my Yahoo and Hotmail accounts today. All while I was away from my laptop for barely two hours. Thanks a lot, buddy. Glad to know you have such worthwhile things to do with your time. Good thing I was able to finally troubleshoot the problem. Whew!


Track of the Day: The Junior Boys are coming back into town this week! I would like to go. Like a lot.






* Photos property of nymag.com, Haute Hippie and are used solely for commentary purposes